Composition for treating synthetic films, strands and fabrics



United States atent Willis C. Ware, Chicago, Ill.

Application September 10, 1956 Serial No. 608,705

2 claims. (Cl. 106-487) No Drawing.

This invention relates to compositions for treating synthetic resinfilms, strands and fabrics such as saran (copolymers of vinylidcnechloride and vinyl chloride or polyvinylidene chloride), Mylar(polyethylene terephthalate), polyethylene, polystyrene, polymerizedmethyl methacrylate,'Dacron, nylon and the like.

Films of synthetic resinous materials such as those mentioned above,tend to adhere to each other, when superposed, and are usually difiicultto separate from each other. Further, such films can ordinarily be heatsealed. one to another, only with rather specialized equipment.particularly if the molecules have previously been oriented within thefilms by suitable treatment of the films. Heat sealing of such filmswith standard equipment necessitates the use of temperatures so high andapplied in such fashion as to destroy the orientation of the moleculeswithin the films.

Strands and fabrics made of synthetic resinous materials, such as thosementioned above, tend to attract and hold particles of dust and dirt andalso to accumulate charges of static electricity.

The above disadvantageous features are eliminated by treating syntheticresinous films, strands and fabrics, specifically, those mentionedabove, with the compositions and methods of the present invention.

The compositions of the present invention comprise aqueous dispersionsof octyl or nonyl phenol condensatetl with 12 or 13 molecules ofethylene oxide. These products have the following structural formula:

wherein R stands for an octyl or nonyl group and n signifies 12 or 13. i

The compositions of the present invention also com prise a quaternaryammonium salt (ordinarily, the chloride) containing three methyl groups.The fourth hydrocarbon radical is an alkyl group containing from 8 to 18carbon atoms which may be derived (by I'EdLIC-r tion of the carboxylgroup) .from fatty acids such as soya ;fatty acid, coconut fatty acid,tallow, hydrogenated tallow, stearic acid or the like. If desired, thefourth hydrocarbon radical may be an alkyl benzyl or alkyl tolyl orother alkyl aryl group in which the number of carbon atoms in the alkylgroup ranges from 9 to 15.

The amounts and ratios of quatemary ammonium salt and of alkyl arylpolyethylene ether alcohol are both critical. In the case of acomposition to be diluted 1:4 with water when used, more than /2 percent(by weight) of the quaternary ammonium salt will cause fogging ofsynthetic resinous films, in particular, saran, within 48 hours at 140"P. But /2 percent (by weight) or lesser amounts of the quaternaryammonium salt, by itself, it not effective for eliminating the abovenoted disadvantages of synthetic resinous films, strands and fabrics. Tosecure this result, it is necessary to combine, with about 36 percent ofthe quaternary ammonium salt, from 5 to 20 percent (preferably about 5percent) by weight, of the above disclosed alkyl aryl polyethylene etheralcohol. Further, the latter compound mustcontain at least 12 ethyleneoxide groups, for otherwise the resinous film will become discolored onstanding. Finally, the alkyl aryl polyethylene ether alcohol, by itself,will not eliminate the above noted disadvantages of synthetic resinousfilms, strands and fabrics.

It should be understood, of course, that the above noted percentagesapply when my composition is diluted with water 1:4 before use. If thecomposition is originally made up with more water or less water, thenthe amounts of the quaternary ammonium salt and of alkyl arylpolyethylene ether alcohol must be adjusted accordingly, while stillmaintaining a ratio of 1 part of ammonium salt to from 10 to 40 parts ofthe ether alcohol. Further, the concentrations should be such that, whenand if diluted for use, the concentration of the quaternary ammoniumcompound should be approximately A; percent, although slightly smallerpercentages are also operative, for instance, ,5 percent.

Specific compositions according to the present invention (disclosed asexamples) contain 5 percent octyl phenol condensed with 12 to 13molecules of ethylene oxide and about fit percent of an alkyl trimethylammonium chloride wherein the alkyl group is derived from soya fattyacid or about /2 percent of an alkyl tolyl trimethyl ammonium chloridewherein the alkyl group is derived from coconut fatty acid, theremainder of the compositions being essentially water. Both of thesespecific compositions are diluted with water (1:4) before being 1 used.

Application of my compositions, for instance, to saran film is suitablycarried out at the time the film is made. A conventional method ofmaking saran film includes the steps of extruding the material intubular form, passing the extruded tubular material through a waterquenching bath, expanding the tube into bubble form by blowing to effectorientation, cutting the saran tube, and winding up the resulting film.In this process, my composition is dispersed in a water quenching bathat a ratio effecting the above disclosed concentrations. In the case ofthe specific compositions disclosed above by way of examples, one partof one of these compositions is dispersed in four parts of water. I havefound that as a result of including my compositions with the waterquenching bath, the saran film will not break on the wind-up rolls, atit otherwise would, due to the tendency of the film to stick to itselfand tear. Further, the film may be heat sealed (after aging for from 10to 14 days) much like cellophane and some films made of thermoplasticresins. Thus, the film may easily be fabricated into bags. Finally, thesaran film will show excellent slip, i. e. superposed film layers can beseparated easily and will slide easily over each other, so that saranfilm bags can be opened without any ditficulty. Similar results havebeen obtained with films made of the other thermoplastic resinousmaterials identified hereinabove.

The same method of application can be used for fibers and strands madeof saran and the other synthetic resinous materials identifiedhereinabove. In other words, my composition is dispersed in the waterquenching bath through which extruded fibers and strands areconventionally passed.

In the case of fabrics, for instance, saran fabrics, my composition(diluted with water as indicated) may be applied by spraying, bysponging the fabric, or by dipping the fabric in the dilutedcomposition. Fabrics so treated do not tend to attract particles of dustand dirt and are also free from any tendency to accumulate charges ofstatic electricity, which tendency is sometimes quite objectionable.

The above noted beneficial results are due to the fact that the films,strands and fabrics carry a thin superficial coating of my composition.As noted hereinabove, these beneficial results are obtained when suchcoatings are applied to a number of synthetic resinous materials in theform of films, strands and fabrics, particularly, saran, Mylar,polyethylene, polystyrene, polymerized methacrylate, Dacron, nylon andthe like.

Many details may be varied without departing from this invention and itis therefore not my purpose to limit the patent granted on thisinvention otherwise then necessitated by the scope of the appendedclaims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A composition for treating synthetic resinous films, strands andfabrics, consisting of an aqueous dispersion of (1) the productresulting from the condensation of an alkyl phenol having 8 to 9 carbonatoms in its alkyl group with 12 to 13 molecules of ethylene oxide and(2) a quaternary ammonium salt having three methyl radicals and a fourthhydrocarbon radical selected from the group consisting of alkyl arylradicals containing 9 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl group and havingan aryl group from the class consisting of benzyl and tolyl, the ratioof said condensation product to said ammonium salt ranging from 10:1 to40:1 and said aqueous dispersion containing not more than about A;percent of said am monium salt.

2. A composition according to claim 1 adapted for dilution before use inwhich the concentration of said ammonium salt is about /2 percent andthe concentration of said condensation product ranges from 5 to 20percent.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,137,465 Thackston Nov. 22, 1938 2,160,119 Brodersen May 30, 19392,214,352 Schoeller Sept. 10, 1940 2,461,043 Eisen Feb. 8, 19492,563,560 Werntz Aug. 7, 1951 2,628,176 Simon Feb. 10, 1953 2,727,827Chertkop Mar. 12, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 710,423 Great Britain June 9,1954

1. A COMPOSITION FOR TREATING SYNTHETIC RESINOUS FILMS, STRANDS AND FABRICS, CONSISTING OF AN AQUEOUS DISPERSION OF (1) THE PRODUCT RESULTING FROM THE CONDENSATION OF AN ALKYL PHENOL HAVING 8 TO 9 CARBON ATOMS IN ITS ALKYL GROUP WITH 12 TO 13 MOLECULES OF ETHYLENE OXIDE AND (2) A QUATERNARY AMMONIUM SALT HAVING THREE METHYL RADICALS AND A FOURTH HYDROCARBON RADICAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKYL ARYL RADICALS CONTAINING 9 TO 15 CARBON ATOMS IN THE ALKYL GROUP AND HAVING AN ARYL GROUP FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF BENZYL AND TOLYL, THE RATIO OF SAID CONDENSATION PRODUCT TO SAID AMMONIUM SALT RANGING FROM 10:1 TO 40:1 AND SAID AQUEOUS DISPERSION CONTAINING NOT MORE THAN ABOUT 1/8 PERCENT OF SAID AMMONIUM SALT. 